Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Newsletter, October 2017


Our Mission: To preserve blues heritage, celebrate blues recording and performance, expand worldwide awareness of the blues, and ensure the future of this uniquely American art form.
I send warm greetings to our River City Blues Society members and friends of the blues. Our parent organization the Blues Foundation (www.blues.org) is gathering submissions for the next blues award nominations. Individual blues bands are invited to complete a form to submit a their recording for 2018 Blues Music Awards consideration. The Blues Foundation is also focusing on the nation’s biggest and most respected showcase for Blues Musicians ready to take their act to the national stage. Yes, I am talking about the 2018 International Blues Challenge. Representing Richmond in the acoustic solo/duo is Parker & Gray and the Tom Euler Band is competing in the band division. We wish them the best. They will be hosting our holiday party in December.
RCBS is running a blues cruise raffle! The prize is a cabin for two on the February 2018 Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise. We'll hold the drawing at the December 2017 RCBS Holiday Party. Raffle tickets are $20. You can purchase them at RCBS events, or via Paypal.

The RCBS is running a blues cruise raffle! The prize is a cabin for two on the February 2018 Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise. We'll hold the drawing at the December 2017 RCBS Holiday Party. The raffle tickets are $20. You can purchase them at RCBS events, or via Paypal.
Check out this incredible line-up Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal Trio, Kenny Wayne Shephers, Tab Benoit Tommy Castro Band, Magic Dick, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Commander Cody Band, Charlie Musslewhite, Walter Trout, and many others.  
 
Blues In The Schools is still very much a priority for our society. The Blues Foundation provides some direction to its affiliated Blues societies, and organizations like the House of Blues, the Seattle Experience Music Project and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have designed curriculum units and lesson plans that are ready to be plugged into any grade or discipline targeting grades K-12. In 2006, RCBS applied for, and received, a Blues Music Foundation Grant from the Experience Music Project. Our grant application stated: "The RCBS seeks to create a blues package that will include curriculum materials, recordings, documents and transcriptions, lyrics, and visual material to be used in the classroom by teachers in a variety of disciplines. Development, creation and distribution of these materials will be facilitated in collaboration with the curriculum coordinators in the Richmond region schools for humanities, social sciences and music and with selected teachers."  If you are a teacher or have contact with members of the school board that may be interested in having us give a presentation please have them contact us.

We have a goal to increase our membership so please spread the word to your friends and family members encouraging them to attend a Blues and Brews event at the Camel. Check the calendar for updates.


In closing I would like to remind you we are a non-profit, volunteer-based organization dedicated to the promotion, preservation, and perpetuation of the Blues as an original American art form. Thanks to all the hard working board members who volunteer their time to make this all possible.


Good blues to you!


Forrest McDonald

President RCBS